Veterinary session

Questing hard ticks were collected along two, approximately 1500m long walking roads with dragging method twice a month in four spring and autumn months between August 2010 and June 2012. One of these sampling sites having sparse undergrowth was a popular walking path of local people who walk with their dogs and ride a bicycle. The other sampling site consisted of unfrequented trails with rich shrub layer and ground vegetation.

In total, 769 ticks were collected. All of them were identified as Ixodes ricinus, the most common tick species in Hungary. Majority of the specimens were nymphs (456), there were some males (177) and females (136). There was no considerable difference between the number of adults (132 and 188) collected in the two sampling sites. Along the unfrequented tails nymphs were more frequently collected (400) than in the walking path (56). Majority of ticks were collected in spring (164 and 503, respectively) in both areas.

DNA was extracted from 23 pooled samples of 69 females randomly selected for detecting any tick-borne pathogens with PCR. No Babesia-species were found. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected in four samples with real-time PCR. Most samples (14) were positive for Rickettsia of which four ones were sequenced. GenBank analysis showed 99-100% homologous to sequences of Rickettsia helvetica and R. monacensis. Only one pooled sample contained Borrelia sp.

To our knowledge this is the first study on ticks and tick-borne pathogens in urban recreational areas of Hungary.